Stop motion for knitting machines



Nov. 22, 1949 M. ANTONEVICH STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30', I948 Nov. 22, 1949 M. ANTCNEVICH 2,488,614

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 30, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. ANTONEVICH STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Nov. 22, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 30, 1948 Patented Nov. 22 1949 UNITED S TATES OFFICE STOP MOTION For; MACHINES,

signor to The Crawford pany, Incorporated, ,Ne

corporation of New J ers Application June 30, 194.8. Serial No. 36,066

This invention relates to stop motions of the I provide a generally improved device of this class.

A more specific object is to provide a stop motion including an electrically controlled knock-off device so associated with a control circuit that the knock-01f is necessarily released when the said control circuit is open and can be set and 'maintain'ed in set condition only when said circuit is closed.

' To this end, the invention contemplates the use of a normally live circuit upon which the knock-off device is dependent for maintenance in set condition, energization of said circuit being controlled by detector units in an associ ated detector circuit.

The invention further contemplates the provision of novel means actuated by conventional detector devices for deenergizi-ng the live circuit independently of the said main circuit.

In the attached drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a knock-off device made. in accordance with the" invention and'of the immediately associated parts of the knitting machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on'the line 3'3'Fig; 2:

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing the latch assembly which forms a part of the knock-off device; I

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational View showing details of the latch device;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding substantially to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification within the scope of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 showing details of the device shown in Fig; 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view showing the latch device of Fig. 8 in released I position;

Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of the latch as sembly shown in the immediately preceding figures; V

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing a preferred electrical system for the knock-off device, and Fig. 12 is a similar View showing a modified system within the scope of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference first to Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Therein, the reference numeral Findicates a tach'ed to its lower end to one end oi a rock shaft f 5 --Ma'nu'facturi'ng Com w Brunswick, N. J.,- a- BY 4 Claims. (once-457) fragmentary part of-the'main bed plate of a knitting machine of conventional type, more particularly at Scott and Williams wide, multifeed machine as described in my aforesaid Patent No. 2,145,754. The reference numeral 2 indicates a casing within which are housed elements of the knock-01f device forming subject of the present invention and illustrated in subsequent figures of the drawings, said casing being supported on a bracket 3' attached to the said main frame. 4 is a trip shaft which-extends through the casing 2 and which is connected through a lever 5' atand through a link 6 with akno'ck-ofi shaft- 1 the latter shaft having attached thereto a lever B and the said link 6 being pivotally connected to that lever and to the lever 5 on: the shaft 5.

The knock-ofi shaft'l, which is Journaled in a bearing 9' on the mainframe I, carries two arms or levers H and I i-respectively. The lever ll engageso'ne end of'a screw l3 in a lever M attached which is supported in a journal 6 on abracket l1, and the other end of the-lever carries a catch 48 arranged.- to

" engage and: to normally support against the pull reach rod in the form of ascrew 24 which engages one arm of a brake element 2 5 operativel'y associated with" the mainshaft of the machine tno't' ShOWH) main frame The knock-01f lever tiveengagement with inglever 26 inte'rlocks with the spring actuated shifting rod associated with a drive pulley loose 1 ontnearorementionee main'shaft of the knitting l pulley'with the shaft. In

machine and controlling the connection of the V the drawings the shift rod; and clutch-are not shown.

The tunc'tions'of thebrake and clutch will be understood by those"familiar with the art, and

- he general mode of operation of the portion of the knock-off mechanism described above is clearly set forthinmy United States Patent No. 2,145,754 aforesaid. Normally the trip shaft 4 is maintainedby devices hereinafter described in a position wherein thebrake is retracted and the clutch is engaged to connect thedrive pulled with the shaft. When the knock-ofi is tripped and the shaft tthereby released; the clutchis disengaged and the 'brale applied to bring' the knitting maf: V...

chine to animmediatehalta are not in dead Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 to 6 of the drawings, it will be noted that the shaft 4 has a collar 3| attached to that portion thereof which occupies the interior of the casing 2, and a spring 32 embraces the shaft and has one end thereof anchored in the collar 3| and the other end anchored in a sleeve or bushing 33 secured in the wall of the casing. Projecting transversely from the collar 3| is a pin 34 which projects through an aperture 35 in a wall 35 of the casing.

Normally the spring 32 will hold the shaft 4 in a position wherein the collar 3| and pin 34 occupy the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, it being noted that the said collar is extended radially at one Side to form a shoe 31 which, in the said normal position of the shaft 4, bears against a stop 38 on the said wall 36. Pivotally attached at 39 to the wall 35 is a lever 4| having a semicircular recess 42 which, under conditions hereinafter described, is adapted to receive the pin 34 so that the lever may act as a latch to retain the pin and therefore the shaft 4 in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 4 against the tendency of the spring 32 to shift the shaft and pin to the dotted line positions, as previously described. Pivotally attached to the outer end of the lever 4| is one link 43 of a toggle, the other link of which is indicated by the reference numeral 44. This latter link, which is U-shaped in form, as best shown in Fig. 2, is pivotally supported upon a pin 45 which projects from the wall 36 and is pivotally connected at 46 to the link 43. When the lever 4| is in the retracted position as shown in Fig. 6, the link 44 will seat against a stop pin 41 on the wall 36. In this position the toggle 43-44 is broken. When the shaft 4 is rocked to carry the pin 34 from the position of Fig. 6 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, in which position the pin will overlie the recess 42 of the lever 4|, this lever will be elevated by engage- ,ment of the pin with the upper edge portion 40 thereof, thereby extending the toggle 43-44 to the position indicated in Fig. 3 and bringing the pin 34 into the recess 42. The lever 4|, as long as it is supported in the elevated position, will then act to retain the pin and the shaft 4 in the retracted position against the pressure of the spring 32.

The toggle 43--44 is adapted to be retained in the extended position by an electromagnet 43 acting upon a flange 49 on one leg of the U- shaped link 44 of the toggle. The shapes of the lever 4| and of the links 43 and 44 of the toggle and of the flange 49 of the link 44 are clearly shown in Fig. 5. Extension of the toggle brings the flange 49 into engagement with the armature of the electromagnet 48 as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the pull of the magnet on the flange is sufficient to hold the toggle in the extended position. It is to be noted, however, that in this extended position the pivot points 45 and 46 of the toggle center relationship with the point at which the link 43 is pivotally attached to the lever 4|, so that deenergization of the mag net 48 and consequent release of the link 44 will result immediately in a return of the parts to the position of Fig. 6 by action of the spring 32 and thrust of the pin 34 on the curved edge of recess 42 of lever 4|. The device may be reset to the latched position by means of a reset lever or handle 52 at the upper end of the shaft 4 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The operation of this device will be more readily understood by reference to the electrical circuit diagram of Fig. 11. Therein the electric motor which actuates the knitting machine is indicated at 53, this motor being connected across the main power line represented by the conductors 54 and 55. Flow of current to the motor may be controlled by a manually actuated switch 58. Par alleling the motor 53 is the primary coil 51 of a transformer, the secondary coil 58 of which is connected in a circuit 68 which contains the electromagnet 48. In this circuit the secondary coil 58 and the coil of the electromagnet are in series. Flow of current to this circuit is controlled by a switch associated with the shaft 4 and indicated generally by the reference numeral 59. This switch consists of a spring contact element 6| and the pin 34 on the shaft 4, it being noted that the shaft is in series with the electromagnet 48 and with the secondary coil 58 of the transformer. This switch is shown in Figs. 2 to 6 of the drawings wherein it will be noted that when the shaft and pin 34 are in the retracted position shown in Fig. 6 the pin 34 will be withdrawn from the contact 6| and when the shaft and pin are moved to the operative or latched position the pm 34 will be engaged with the spring contact 6| as in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The circuit 68 is also controlled by a relayactuated switch 52 which is normally closed by a spring 53 to complete the circuit 80. The relay 64 is connected in a grounded detector circuit 10 extending from the circuit 58 and connected to the latter at points H and 12 at opposite sides, respectively, of the magnet 48, and this circuit 10 includes a collector ring 65 which in operation rotates with the cam ring of the knitting machine, a brush 86 which continuously contacts the ring 55, and, conventionally, a plurality of normally open detector switches of which one is indicated at 61.

The switch 56 is normally closed and the motor 53 is therefore in continuous operation. The relay 64 is deenergized, the switch 62 being closed by action of spring 63. Before the machine is placed in operation the shaft 4 will occupy the retracted position illustrated in Fig. 6 whereby the switch 59 will be open and the circuit 60 broken. The aforementioned clutch, through which operative connection is established between the motor 53 and the knitting machine, is disengaged under these conditions, as previously set forth. In order to set the machine in operation the shaft 4 is rocked to the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, whereupon the switch 59 is closed and the circuit 4 80 energized. Closing of the circuit 58 energizes the magnet 48 so that when the shaft 4 is turned and the parts brought to the operative positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the magnet will function to hold the toggle in the extended position, the lever 4| in the elevated position retaining the pin 34 and thereby locking the parts in place. Assuming closing of any of the detector switches in the circuit 18 and resultant closing of this grounded circuit, the accompanying opening of the switch 82 by the relay 64 will break the circuit 68, deenergize the magnet 48, release the latching lever 4|, and permit the shaft 4 to re turn under pressure of the spring 32 to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 6. As previously set forth, this movement of the shaft 4 results in disengagement of a clutch and application of the brake to bring the knitting machine to a halt. The motor 53 continues to operate pending reengagement of the clutch after correction of the fault that resulted in the closing of the detector switch.

A modified form of the knock-off device described above is illustrated in Figs. '7 to inclusive. In this case the link a of the toggl is shaped for interlocking or latching engagement with one endof a lever pivotally mounted on a pin 16 extending from the casing wall 36a. The other end of the lever 15 is provided with a plate or flange 49a which is arranged for contact with the armature of an electromagnet 48a. A spring 11 tends to move the lever 15 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 8 and 9, so as to withdraw the flange 49a from the magnet and also to retract the opposite end 18 of the lever from engagement with the terminal end 19 of the link 44a. When the magnet 48a is energized and the flange 49a of the lever 15 is engaged therewith, the lever is held in the position shown in Fig. 8 wherein it engages the end 19 of the link 44a to hold the toggle 4311-4411 in the extended position and, thereby, the latching lever 4m in the elevated position in latching engagement with the pin 34a on the trip shaft 4a. Deenergization of the magnet 48a releases the lever 15 and permits the spring 11 to shift this lever so as to release the link Me which permits the toggle to contract under actuation of the spring 32a associated with the trip shaft 4a.

The electrical system associated with this embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 12. In this case the relay 62 of the previous embodiment has been eliminated so that in effect the electromagnet 48a is in parallel with the transzformer secondary coil 58a. When the detector switch 61a is closed the magnet 48a in efiect is short circuited and is thereby deenergized with the result that the shaft 48a is released as described above and the circuit interrupted by opening of the switch 34a-6la.

It will be understood that the invention is subject to other embodiment within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a stop motion for knitting machines a movable trip member, a spring for moving the member in one direction, a pin projecting laterally from the member, a latch lever arranged to engage the pin to hold the member in predetermined position against pressure of the spring, a toggle tending when extended to support the lever in operative position, and an electromagnet operatively associated with the toggle and adapted when energized to retain the toggle in extended position.

2. In a stop motion for knitting machines, the combination with a rotatable trip shait and a spring for turning the shaft in one direction, of means for releasably retaining the shaft in a given position against pressure of said spring, said means including a shaft-retaining latch element movable to inoperative position under pressure of said spring, .an electro magnet for holding the said element in operative position against said pressure, and a toggle interposed between the latch element and said magnet, said toggle being operative in extended position to hold the latch in the operative position, and said magnet, when energized, being operative to retain the toggle in said extended position.

3. A stop motion according .to claim 2 wherein one of the arms of the toggle is provided with a part arranged to engage the said magnet when the toggle is extended and adapted to constitute an armature for retention by said magnet when the latter is energized.

4. A stop motion according to claim 2 wherein a lever is interposed between the toggle and the magnet, said lever having a part for engagement with and retention by the magnet and being arranged for interlocking engagement with the toggle to hold the latter in extended position when the said part is retained by the magnet. and a spring to move the lever to a position releasing the toggle when the magnet is deenergized and the part thereby released.

MICHAEL ANTONEVICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,178,142 Lawson Oct. 31, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 160,943 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1921 

